Eleventh Miss had settled the arrangements for her personal attendants who had come as part of her dowry. The Winter Solstice arrived.

The Winter Solstice in this era was nothing like what she had known before. It was not merely a change in the weather — officials and civilians alike celebrated the occasion, calling it the “lesser new year.” People either pounded New Year rice cakes or made crescent-shaped dumplings to offer to their ancestors, and the womenfolk were expected to present their elders with shoes and socks, a custom called “offering length.” The Xu household was different from others still: not only did the Directorate of Ceremonial send the “Nine-Nine Banishing Cold Poetry Chart,” but the Emperor also bestowed gifts of black fox fur earmuffs upon the Xu brothers, the Empress bestowed gifts of various seasonal fabrics upon the women of the Xu household, and an additional spicy broth appeared at the family’s morning meal.

Eleventh Miss was in high spirits as she hung the Nine-Nine Banishing Cold Poetry Chart on the whitewashed wall of the eastern side room.

Xu Lingyi was reclining on the large heated platform by the window, reading a book. Hearing her speaking in low, cheerful tones with Hupo, he looked up and saw Eleventh Miss wearing a white fox fur rabbit-shaped headdress — a gift from the Dowager — which set off her delicate, rosy face and made her look like a little rabbit. Finding it amusing, he smiled and said: “Have you never seen one before?”

“I have.” Eleventh Miss smiled. “When Father was still home, he used to personally draw a plum blossom diagram with eighty-one petals — nine times nine — and paste it on the wall. Each day he would brush in one petal, and when the plum blossom diagram was complete, spring would be just arriving.”

Xu Lingyi smiled. “Then the plum blossom diagram is better by far. The things from the Directorate of Ceremonial are just so earnest and solemn.”

Hearing Xu Lingyi speak of something being so earnest and solemn, Eleventh Miss found it wonderfully amusing and laughed brilliantly: “In that case, why not paste this one in your study, and we’ll put a plum blossom diagram in our room?”

During this period, she had frequently gone to Xu Lingyi’s study, located in the western wing, to borrow books.

In truth, the selection had little to recommend it.

Though it was clearly all his regularly used volumes, military strategy made up the bulk of them, the rest being biographical accounts of notable figures, with very few novels or works of poetry and verse. The blank spaces in the military texts were filled with his own handwritten annotations, progressing from a young and unsteady hand to one bold and vigorous — a record of one person’s growth. Eleventh Miss found it touching to look at, yet could not bring herself to feel genuinely interested, and so she had merely gone to look. She had not moved a single book.

Xu Lingyi knew that Eleventh Miss had been going to his study during this period to look through books, yet hadn’t found a single one to her liking. He thought she was teasing him, and being someone who was not narrow-minded and could take a joke, he played along: “That’s right — the Directorate of Ceremonial’s things and my study are perfectly suited to each other.”

Eleventh Miss laughed, her brows and eyes shimmering with a radiance that was indescribably charming and captivating.

Xu Lingyi felt only that it was a pleasant sight, and his mood became quite good.

A young male servant came in to report: “My lord, the porridge stall has been set up. Third Master sent this servant to ask whether you will go and take a look.”

Since the beginning of the eleventh month, the snow had not stopped. Starving refugees had come in groups to beg in Yanjing even earlier, but all had been stopped outside the city gates. It was said that people had even frozen to death. Old Marquis Huang of the Yongchang Marquisate had taken the lead in rallying the households of various nobles and high officials in Yanjing to set up porridge stalls outside Fucheng Gate on the western outskirts of the city. Though the Xu family had not been the first, they had not lagged behind either, placing their own porridge stall next to that of the Lin family of the Weibei Marquisate.

Hearing this, Xu Lingyi tossed aside his book. “I’ll go right now.”

The servant acknowledged and went to report back. Eleventh Miss quickly helped Lvyun look for Xu Lingyi’s otter fur cape and helped him put it on: “My lord, please be careful on the road. The cold is bitter and the paths are slippery. Perhaps you should take a sedan chair?”

“What does this amount to?” Xu Lingyi let Eleventh Miss help him on with the cape. “In the northwest I encountered weather far harsher than this. You needn’t worry.”

Eleventh Miss nodded and saw Xu Lingyi out the door. Before she could turn back inside, a young maidservant came running: “Madam, First Young Madam has arrived.”

Since they had parted ways at the entrance to West Main Street some days ago, Eleventh Miss had heard nothing from First Young Madam. She had not felt it proper to send someone to inquire, and had been growing anxious waiting. Hearing this, she immediately followed the young maidservant to welcome First Young Madam.

First Young Madam was wearing a grey squirrel fur cape trimmed in greenish-lilac velvet, and her complexion looked somewhat dejected.

Seeing this, a sense of foreboding stirred within Eleventh Miss.

When First Young Madam saw Eleventh Miss coming to meet her, she immediately reached out and took her hand. The icy cold of her fingertips made Eleventh Miss flinch slightly.

The two of them, by some unspoken understanding, said nothing. Once inside, a maidservant helped First Young Madam remove her cape, and Eleventh Miss sat with her on the large heated platform by the window in the western side room. Tea was served. Eleventh Miss dismissed the attending servants, and before she had even spoken, First Young Madam’s eyes reddened: “…It was the Tenth Young Master’s husband — he caused the child to be lost… And Tenth Miss refuses to say a word about it. Even if I wanted to stand up for her, there is nowhere to begin.”

Though she had guessed something of the sort, having this confirmed made Eleventh Miss’s heart heavy, and an inexpressible bitterness rose within her.

“I knew something was wrong at the time. This was the first child — yet Tenth Miss’s husband said nothing whatsoever and showed no reaction.” First Young Madam’s face was flushed with fury. “I went to see her every day. If Silver Vase hadn’t let something slip to me, I still wouldn’t know to this day.” Her expression darkened. “Your eldest brother dislikes taking in maidservants, so I had Golden Lotus and Silver Vase follow Tenth Miss when she married — I wanted to find them a decent position. It was an absolute certainty. Yet the Tenth Young Master’s husband never even breathed a word and slept with both maidservants on the third day of the wedding. What sort of appearance does our Tenth Miss have — how could she not be worthy of him? What he did was a direct slap to the face of our Luo family…”

First Young Madam spoke with righteous indignation. Eleventh Miss simply listened quietly, refilling her teacup from time to time.

Finally, First Young Madam grew calm. Eleventh Miss said: “Who else knows about this?” She heard her own voice — calm and rational. “Since she is unwilling to speak of it, she is certainly still mindful of the Wang family’s reputation. I’m afraid we won’t be able to intervene easily. Yet a man who beats his wife — once that begins, there is no telling where it ends. Someone must give her a quiet warning. Avoid provoking him whenever possible, comply with him whenever possible, and keep from stirring his anger — that is the best course.”

First Young Madam nodded: “When have I not known this? But the Tenth Young Master’s husband…” She paused, and a look of fury crept into her eyes. “Do you know why he beat Tenth Miss? He had taken a liking to the wife of one of Tenth Miss’s dowry attendants. When Tenth Miss refused to allow it, he beat her into losing the child… and didn’t so much as glance at Tenth Miss afterward, but went straight off to Cuihua Lane. He is truly not a decent person!”

Eleventh Miss said nothing.

She did not know what else she could say.

First Young Madam quickly took Eleventh Miss’s hand: “Is the Marquis treating you well?”

Eleventh Miss nodded. “The Marquis treats me very well!”

This was said with all her heart.

Xu Lingyi respected her greatly — and that was already the foundation of everything.

First Young Madam, seeing the sincerity in Eleventh Miss’s expression, breathed a sigh of relief.

She is worrying about herself and Fifth Miss, Eleventh Miss reflected.

As for her own circumstances — plans couldn’t keep pace with changes. Just yesterday, Chang Jiuhe had come to ask her for money. The snow had come down so heavily that the farmhouse had collapsed. He stood at the door in a black cotton jacket with a greasy, worn surface, shivering as he spoke: “Only two taels of silver — enough for me to throw together a thatched shelter and get through the winter.”

If even the house had collapsed, there was nothing left worth stealing. Eleventh Miss told him to bring his wife and children to stay at the Jinyu Lane residence: “…We’ll sort things out once the snow stops. No sense in freezing anyone to death.”

Chang Jiuhe was profoundly grateful — the corners of his eyes grew wet, and he thanked her again and again.

His visit reminded Eleventh Miss of something. She had Hupo send word to Wan Yizong, telling his whole family to take shelter at Jinyu Lane as well. She also had Hupo deliver ten taels of silver to Liu Yuanrui’s family with instructions to arrange proper meals.

Now, hearing First Young Madam speak, Eleventh Miss thought of Fifth Miss’s newly opened business: “…With snow this heavy, the business will likely be affected.”

“Who would say otherwise.” First Young Madam let out a long sigh. “They say it’s been open a few days now, and the daily takings are only a few wen.”

“It will need to hold on for a while before things gradually improve.”

First Young Madam nodded. The two of them exchanged small talk for a while. Seeing the hour growing late, First Young Madam rose to take her leave.

Eleventh Miss saw her to the door, urging her repeatedly: “Do have someone go and say a word to Tenth Sister. Her temper is unyielding — don’t let her suffer a loss right before her eyes.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll speak to her quietly. Encountering someone like that, there’s nothing we can do. I see that the old Madam of the Wang family cares a great deal for Tenth Miss. I can only hope she takes pity on how well-behaved Tenth Miss is. After all, if this sort of thing were to get out, the Wang family’s reputation would be finished as well.”

This was not the world she had come from, after all. She could only deal with things according to the rules of this world.

But Eleventh Miss still couldn’t help saying: “If things truly come to the worst, could we not catch him in the act? And then have eldest brother step forward and let Tenth Miss go live in one of her own dowry residences…”

First Young Madam shook her head vigorously like a rattle drum: “Absolutely not. That would mean a complete break with the Wang family. The Wang family might even devise some scheme to accuse Tenth Miss of grave impropriety, and that could ruin her reputation entirely instead. This sort of thing — you may think it in your heart, but never speak it aloud.”

Eleventh Miss could only maintain her silence.

…

That evening Xu Lingyi returned and saw Eleventh Miss bent over her needlework, and smiled: “How come you didn’t go to Mother’s for a card game?”

Eleventh Miss quickly went to meet him and helped Xu Lingyi remove his cape. “First Young Madam came today.”

“Was there something the matter?”

“She went to visit Tenth Sister and then came to sit with me for a while.”

Since it was a matter among women, Xu Lingyi did not think it proper to ask further. He sat down on the large heated platform by the window in the western side room and said: “Many shops along East Main Street and West Main Street have closed their doors. Zichun’s shop will likely also be affected somewhat.”

“First Young Madam said the same.” Eleventh Miss served Xu Lingyi on the large heated platform by the window in the western side room, taking the hot tea from a maidservant and handing it to him. “She said the daily takings have been only a few wen.” Then she added, “When Fifth Sister first suggested the idea, I already thought it was a good one. Now it’s just a matter of poor conditions for this season — it’s not that the wrong path was taken. It’s simply a question of holding on a little longer.”

Xu Lingyi listened, tea cup held in his hand, and smiled. “The way you put it — whether business is good or bad doesn’t matter so much. What matters most is whether the right path has been chosen?”

“Naturally.” Eleventh Miss smiled. “If the right path is chosen and business is slow, it only means one needs to see where one went wrong and make corrections promptly. But if the wrong path is chosen from the start, one will only go further and further astray, deeper and deeper into the dark… wasting energy for nothing.”

What Eleventh Miss was really talking about was the matter of choosing the right venture to begin with. If the right venture is chosen — one in line with the direction society is developing — it holds great potential. Even if it doesn’t flourish immediately, hold through the most difficult years and the clouds will part to reveal clear skies. But if the wrong venture is chosen — one that society is already leaving behind — the longer you hold on, the more you lose, with little chance of ever recovering… Take Fifth Miss’s dried fruit shop, for example: it is part of everyday life for Yanjing households. Every family needs it for festivals and holidays. Once the business establishes itself, it will certainly grow. By contrast, if Fifth Miss had wanted to go into the flower trade, she would have opposed it. That is because the flower farmers in the outskirts of Yanjing had already built heated greenhouses to supply the noble and wealthy households with fresh flowers year-round, occupying the most profitable segment of the market. If Fifth Miss tried to compete with those establishments, she would face enormous difficulty.

The two of them would be living together for the rest of their lives, and Eleventh Miss wanted to communicate well with Xu Lingyi. But this did not mean she would lay all her thoughts out before him at once and be regarded as some peculiar creature — she could only let her ideas seep in gradually, gently and imperceptibly, like a soft breeze.

So when she saw Xu Lingyi’s expression turn thoughtful after hearing what she said, she immediately smiled and changed the subject: “How are things outside?”

“Quite good!” Hearing Eleventh Miss ask about something familiar to him, Xu Lingyi came back to himself, a look of satisfaction in his eyes. “The porridge stalls of the various households are all set up. Distribution will begin first thing tomorrow morning. I looked at the provisions each household has prepared — sustaining for a month is no difficulty.”

Eleventh Miss nodded. “That’s good! As long as we can get through this winter, things will improve when spring arrives next year.”

Xu Lingyi nodded, took a sip of tea, and said: “Who from our quarters has been assigned to help with the cooking?”

Since they were setting up porridge stalls as an act of benevolence, the womenfolk of the Xu household naturally could not fail to participate. But sending them out to distribute porridge in person was equally out of the question. So a way had to be found to accommodate both concerns. Each branch of the household sent their most senior and respected nannies to assist with the porridge distribution. And these nannies did no more than sit inside a small, sheltered section of the porridge stall chatting away, while the rough-work serving women and manservants did the actual work nearby.

“Our quarters sent Nanny Tao!” Eleventh Miss smiled. “Second Madam sent Nanny Xiang, Third Madam sent Nanny Gan, and Fifth Young Madam sent Nanny Shi.”

Xu Lingyi made a sound of acknowledgment. Eleventh Miss called Chunmo in to help him change his clothes, while she herself warmed the bed with a hand warmer and attended to Xu Lingyi as he settled down to rest.

…

Early the next morning, Nanny Du arrived at the porridge stall together with Nanny Xiang and the others. The rough-work serving women and manservants, ever quick-eyed, had already gathered around their sedan chairs early. Once they had alighted, they were welcomed into a small sheltered booth set up for resting.

Nanny Gan had someone bring out a set of leaf cards: “…We can’t just sit here doing nothing.”

Everyone looked to Nanny Du.

Now that Third Madam was in charge of household affairs, Nanny Du did not want to dampen Nanny Gan’s spirits either, and smiled in agreement.

In weather this cold, who wouldn’t want to take cover and stay warm?

Everyone relaxed visibly, and each produced some spare silver coins to play leaf cards together.

When the time came for porridge distribution, they put down their cards and went to the front of the stall to supervise the serving women and manservants. Men, women, and children in ragged clothing surged forward in a press, while stout and able-bodied bailiffs cracked their whips through the air with sharp snapping sounds, keeping the flooding refugees at bay and shouting for them to line up in rows.

Those who had received their hot porridge naturally took the richly dressed nannies standing by the stall for the womenfolk of the Xu household and knelt to kowtow in gratitude.

In such an atmosphere, anyone present would feel a measure of self-satisfaction.

That evening, back in their rooms, each gave their mistress a vivid and animated account of the day’s events.

Eleventh Miss smiled. “Since that is the case, Nanny, please keep up your efforts for these next few days!”

“Madam, rest assured.” Nanny Tao smiled. “I will keep in step with the other nannies.”

Eleventh Miss nodded.

Nanny Tao then asked about the matter of Xu Lingyi spending the night with Consort Qin the next day: “…Did the Marquis say anything?”

“He said nothing at all.” Eleventh Miss thought of how the previous evening had passed just as usual. “I was actually about to ask you, Nanny — should we prepare a few garments to send over?”

“That won’t be necessary.” Nanny Tao smiled. “The Marquis has always kept clothes in each room.”

Eleventh Miss let out a quiet breath of relief at hearing this.

If clothes had to be sent over as well, it would have felt like moving house.

That evening, the two of them went together to the Dowager’s quarters for dinner. Everyone was talking about the porridge distribution. Third Master and Third Madam, as the lead organizers, were in high spirits and full of animation. The evening ran rather late. Consort Qin had long since been waiting at the eastern corner gate with two young maidservants holding lanterns. Seeing Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Miss, she curtsied respectfully.

Eleventh Miss smiled and parted ways with Xu Lingyi at the eastern corner gate, heading straight back to her room.

Hupo wanted to move her bedding to keep watch beside Eleventh Miss’s sleeping platform for the night, but was sent back by Eleventh Miss to the eastern side room: “You were never this attentive before!”

Hupo was momentarily at a loss for words.

Eleventh Miss understood perfectly well what was on her mind. With a serious expression she said: “Go and sleep. I am not some naive young girl who doesn’t understand the ways of the world — my mind is quite clear on this.” Then she laughed: “If I’m bored in the middle of the night and call for you to chat, you’d better not be too lazy to rouse yourself.”

Seeing that she was still in a mood to jest, Hupo set her mind at rest, nodded repeatedly, and went to settle down in the eastern side room.

Alone in the wide bed, with the shared breath of another person absent, things felt that much more still and quiet. Eleventh Miss genuinely wasn’t accustomed to it at first. But then she thought of how she would need to go pay her respects to the Dowager early the next morning, and how many people would likely be waiting to read her expression, and so she counted sheep and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning she woke at the second watch of the night, the Ox Hour. All around was silent. But at her ear she seemed faintly to hear, from the east, the sounds of servants attending to Xu Lingyi as he rose, dressed, and washed.

Separated by an entire alleyway between wings — how could she possibly hear that!

Habit truly was a formidable thing.

Eleventh Miss closed her eyes, burrowed back into the warm bedding, and sank back into a deep sleep.

Come the full mark of the Mao Hour, she woke again of her own accord.

Hupo and Lvyun and the others had long since prepared the washbasin water and warmed her garments, waiting for her to rise.

“The Marquis has already left for the early morning court audience.” Hupo attended to Eleventh Miss as she dressed. “He had his morning meal at Consort Qin’s quarters. A message came over from the small kitchen — they say Consort Qin’s quarters asked for water in the middle of the night.”

“I understand.” Eleventh Miss nodded, and felt that having Hupo relay such messages was really rather inappropriate. “From now on, stop keeping track of these matters.”

Hupo seemed to want to say something but ultimately held back, and finally gave a nod.

After washing and grooming, Consort Qin and Consort Wen came to pay their morning respects.

Consort Qin’s face was flushed, carrying a touch of shy reticence. Consort Wen’s eyes, on the other hand, darted ceaselessly across Eleventh Miss’s face, as if searching for something to be found there.

Eleventh Miss gave an unhurried smile. Just as she did every day, she asked after Qiao Lianfang’s illness, exchanged a few casual words with both women, and then rose to go to the Dowager’s quarters.

With the weather this cold, Third Madam and Fifth Madam had both arrived before Eleventh Miss.

When they saw Eleventh Miss, both greeted her with warm smiles, yet their expressions held a hint of searching curiosity.

Eleventh Miss found it rather amusing.

She had known when she married into the household that Xu Lingyi had concubines and children. Could it be that merely because something she had heard now became something she had seen, she was expected to weep and make a scene? … People often lose sight of their own circumstances as situations change, forget their original intentions, lose sight of their goals, and stop knowing what it is they truly want — that is the real danger.

She had never once forgotten the state of mind in which she had come to marry into the Xu household!

Eleventh Miss carried herself with composure and ease as she greeted both women, and together they went to pay their respects to the Dowager.

The Dowager was sitting on the large heated platform by the window, watching Zhun Ge and Zhen Jie’er play cat’s cradle.

The moment Eleventh Miss entered, the Dowager’s gaze fell directly and steadily upon her.

Another one probing her…

Eleventh Miss remained unruffled. She smiled and paid her respects to the Dowager.

The Dowager, seeing her smile warm and her manner composed, gave a slight, involuntary nod. The satisfaction and relief in her smile was undisguised.

Eleventh Miss quietly breathed a sigh of relief inside, knowing she had passed the test.

Meanwhile, Zhun Ge and Zhen Jie’er, seeing their elders enter, quickly climbed down from the heated platform and paid their respects. The small maidservants brought out embroidered stools and set them before the platform.

Third Madam raised the matter of the porridge distribution: “…The weather is so cold. I was thinking of giving each nanny and manservant who goes to help at the porridge stall thirty wen per day as a supplement… Even though they are household members, we can’t have them working for nothing. Do you think this would be acceptable?”

“Your calculation is quite precise.” The Dowager smiled. “It’s not as though we lack that little bit of money. Let you have this credit for yourself.”

Third Madam immediately rose to thank the Dowager: “Madam Dowager truly has the heart of a Bodhisattva.”

The Dowager then asked about Nanny Xiang, who served Second Madam: “It is only a matter of lending a hand — send her back to the Western Hills soon. Yizhen’s household is already short-handed, and she’s been pulled all the way from the Western Hills just for this.”

“Indeed.” Third Madam smiled. “It’s just that Second Sister-in-law also wanted to contribute to this great work of virtue.” Then she spoke of Nanny Du. “…She is also getting on in years. With her going out every day facing the wind and snow like this, it would be a problem if she caught a cold or developed a cough.”

The Dowager nodded: “You are quite considerate.”

Third Madam then relayed the Dowager’s wishes to Nanny Xiang and sent someone to escort her back to the Western Hills. She then made arrangements for Nanny Tao and Nanny Shi: “Starting tomorrow, Nanny Du will no longer go to the porridge stall… Perhaps the two of you nannies could go every other day instead — after all, Nanny Gan is already there.”

As this meant a lighter load for everyone, Nanny Tao and Nanny Shi exchanged a smile, thanked Third Madam, and each went their separate ways.

“Do you see any irregularity in any of this?” Fifth Madam rubbed her somewhat protruding belly and said in a casual, unhurried manner.

Nanny Shi placed a plate of sliced apple on a crystal dish and passed it within reach of her hand: “Third Madam always has many ideas — it’s hard to say at this point!”

Fifth Madam’s slender fingers picked up a blue cloisonné enamel fruit fork and speared a piece of apple, bringing it to her lips: “Keep watch on Nanny Tao. If she goes, you continue going every day. If she goes every other day, you do the same.”

Nanny Shi agreed with a ready smile.

“Going every other day?” Eleventh Miss was somewhat puzzled. “Was this already the custom for porridge distribution, or is it Third Madam’s idea?”

“The custom was already like this.” Nanny Tao smiled. “What with the New Year approaching, the household is busy enough as it is. With dedicated people already stationed there, who has time to go every single day? Even before, going every few days for a check was sufficient.”

Eleventh Miss nodded: “Then we’ll follow the old custom. But do keep your wits about you — we don’t want Nanny Shi showing up while you stay home. That would never do.”

Nanny Tao quickly replied: “Madam, rest assured. We will neither lead nor lag behind. We don’t want any gossip getting out suggesting we’re competing with Third Madam.”

“As long as you have it clear in your own mind, Nanny!” Eleventh Miss said — and at that moment, Xu Lingyi returned.

Nanny Tao quickly withdrew.

Eleventh Miss called Xiayi over to attend to him as he changed clothes.

“What did you do at home today?” Xu Lingyi wiped his face with a steaming hot cotton towel, his eyes skimming over the sewing basket on the heated platform. “Working on needlework at home again?”

“I did some needlework in the afternoon.” Eleventh Miss smiled. “In the morning I went and sat with Mother for a while.”

Xu Lingyi nodded, changed his clothes, and went with Eleventh Miss to the Dowager’s quarters.

As they entered, Eleventh Miss heard the Dowager’s warm, hearty laughter.

She couldn’t help but feel curious.

She wondered who could be making the Dowager so cheerful.

As she lifted the curtain and entered the western side room, Eleventh Miss saw a woman she did not recognize, dressed in a lilac-colored long vest, sitting on a stool beside the Dowager’s heated platform and keeping her company in conversation.

Seeing the Dowager look up toward Xu Lingyi and Eleventh Miss, the woman immediately rose: “My lord! This servant Xiangyi pays her respects to you!” She sank into a deep, respectful curtsy.

Xu Lingyi smiled and gave a slight nod: “Ah, so it’s Xiangyi!” He was, unusually, warm in his manner.

Eleventh Miss couldn’t help but study the woman.

A woman of around forty, with a square, broad face and a tall, stout build.

Nanny Du, seeing Eleventh Miss looking at her with considerable curiosity, quickly smiled and explained: “Fourth Madam, this is Xiangyi, who used to serve before the Dowager. You haven’t met her before. Nowadays she and her husband manage the Xu family’s farm estate in their home county in Henan. Hearing that the Marquis had taken a new wife, she made a point of coming to pay her respects to you, taking advantage of a trip to deliver the year-end gifts.”

—